We were lucky to catch up with Allison Altschuler recently and have shared our conversation below.

Allison, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

Starting a business takes an incredible amount of guts and vulnerability. Not everyone is going to believe in your concept. They’ll try to poke holes, and try to make you question the validity of the business. With Toolbox I encountered this regularly. “A nail salon geared toward men? Who is going to go to that?” and “You should concentrate on women, they are the real customers”but my business partner Saul Janson and I were steadfast that there was a client base that would want what we were offering; elevated clean nail care in a contemporary space with great music, great vibes and a whisky to boot. No laundry list of services, no endless wall of polish, just great services with highly skilled nail technicians in a space that is relaxing and comfortable. Well, one year later, I am so proud of what we’ve built. The guys have found us and so have their wives, girlfreinds, partners and friends. We’ve even expanded into events. Corporate events, groomsmen/bachelorette parties, baby showers and cocktail polish parties are just a few of the events we’ve had at Toolbox this year! And while Toolbox is geared toward men, we happily welcome everyone. In fact our motto is “All Genders, All Digits.” Now that same guy who asked “What guys are actually going to go to Toolbox?” now asks, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?!”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

For years, the Nail Care business has catered to women: the look, the vibe, the services all toward what women want. But culturally things have evolved so much. We live in a world where men, and people of all genders are prioritizing self care and we thought it was important to create a nail care brand that spoke to them. Let’s face it, when a guy walks in to a typical nail salon surrounded by women it can feel like all eyes are on them. We’ve turned the tables at Toolbox. Our clientele is 70 percent Men and now it’s our female clients who are surrounded by men! There are many ways we differentiate Toolbox from other nail salons. First and most obvious is with our brand name Toolbox. We wanted a masculine vibe that would suggest who were are and who we’re speaking to. Additionally we’ve been extrememly deliberate with the design of the space, and the steps and products incorporated in our treatments. Each service includes an anti-inflammatory epsom soak, an organic scrub, callus removal leg massage, hot towels and color if the client is feeling it! Any many guys these days do! And as I mentioned earlier, while we are aimed at men we welcome everyone. In fact one of the things I am most proud of is how many members of the LGBTQIA+ community we’ve serviced. I’ve often said that while Toolbox is about Nail Care, it’s become equally about acceptance and community.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

One book that has truly been a guide for me throughout starting Toolbox is “Oversubscribed” by Daniel Priestly. I bought it as an audiobook and constantly listened on walks, while cooking, while driving and during any alone time. It challenges you to truly tune in to your authenticity and not to measure yourself by others who may have a similar product. Embrace what makes you unique, and your clients will find you. The line that made the most impact was “If you are for everyone, then you are for no one.” That resonated. I would highly recommend this book to any entrepreneur,

Additionally, I watch the numbers closely and analyze trends instead of focusing on a single day. There are so many factors that affect business and I’ve learned not to let a single day’s sales summary affect my outlook on the future of our business. It takes time to grow a business and you need to have the stomach for it! Thankfully we reached the 1 year mark a few weeks ago and it feels wonderful to move into the next phase of our business which is very exciting.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

There was no bigger life pivot for me than in 2014 when I moved from my hometown of New York to Los Angeles. I had been very comfortable with my life and job working as a Designer at Ralph Lauren for 10 years when I serendipitously ran into a past love who was visiting from LA. I had never envisioned myself living in California or ever leaving my family and friends in New York. And NEVER did I think I’d be the kind of girl to move across the country for a guy. But after falling back in love and months of deep introspection I decided to listen to my gut and take the biggest risk of my life. I told myself if it doesn’t work out, no big deal, I’ll just move back to NY. But if I don’t try, I will live the rest of my life wondering “What if?” And that was something I knew I couldn’t live with. So I got comfortable with the idea that I might fail, and decided to take the risk. 10 years later I have a beautiful family of my own, an exciting new business venture and zero “what ifs.” Get comfortable with failure and you’ll get better at taking risks.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://toolboxnails.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toolboxnails/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/toolbox-santa-monica

Image Credits

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